This masterful tale chronicles a young man's journey to manhood in a stagnant provincial town, fighting the morally and mentally deadening effects of his surroundings. The brilliant psychological observations in this novella are a beautiful example of Checkhov's distincive style.

This masterful tale chronicles a young man's journey to manhood in a stagnant provincial town, fighting the morally and mentally deadening effects of his surroundings. The brilliant psychological observations in this novella are a beautiful example of Checkhov's distincive style.